News from Cass

The ugly truth of beauty advertising

Professor Vince Mitchell discusses some of the common complaints made against health and beauty adverts

First published Monday, 7th January, 2013

Thursday, 16 September, 2010

In 2009 the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) saw a 52% increase in
complaints about health and beauty ads. Tonight on BBC’s
Watchdog programme Cass Professor of Consumer Marketing, Vince Mitchell, discussed some of the adverts that
typically fall foul of ASA guidelines and explained why cosmetic companies continue to use these tactics despite
concerns from consumers.
Consumers of health and beauty products are often highly suggestible because they want to believe that products can
make them look younger and healthier. Adverts that faile to meet ASA standards will still appear because they are
effective and the sanctions for contravening the code is minimal, often only a written warning or a small fine.
Professor Mitchell identified four features of health and beauty ads that draw complaints:

The definitions used in these adverts are often unclear, for example mascara promising 130% more 'visible length'
without explaining how that is defined.

The qualifications of claims made in the adverts are often very hard to spot and not printed clearly.

The ASA say comparisons should be against a competing product, not as in some cases, against not using anything
at all.

The final area of contention are the sample sizes used for surveys which often don't provide a representative
sample.

Professor Mitchell said: "The beauty industry already has a poor reputation and further denigration of trust in
advertising and marketing undermines consumer confidence in all advertising claims. On the 1 September, the ASA
brought into force its revised codes of practice so any businesses or marketing agencies should make sure they are up
to speed on the changes."

Permanent link to this story: https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/news/2010/september/the-ugly-truth-of-beauty-advertising